A strange array of clothes
by Moonymiyuki
Summary: Sirius and Remus have a fight, and its not pretty. What will bring them back together? SR slash to come
1. A tails jacket

It was snowing at Hogwarts; nothing could be seen for miles around from the castle windows. All the students were outside, playing, it was the Christmas holidays and only a handful of students had remained. All accept one were outside.  
  
Sirius Black  
  
He was lying on the couch, not moving at all. He was gazing into the fire, his long waist length hair spread out like a fan on the armrest. His eye make was smudged across his cheeks and his lips were stained a dark strawberry. He was wearing a strange array of clothing too, a tails jacket, without a shirt underneath and a pair of dirty jeans that hung halfway down his buttocks. His nails were chipped, and his skin dewy from tears.  
  
The portrait on the other side of the common room swung open, but Sirius didn't move. A very cold Remus Lupin stepped inside. His cheeks were flushed and his golden eyes had fire dancing inside them.  
  
"Sirius"  
  
Sirius didn't stir, nor look round, he didn't even move.  
  
"I'm getting to grips with what you said  
  
No it's not in my head  
  
I can't awaken the dead day after day" Remus called across the room. He started to make his way to the couch.  
  
A sudden flush of anger raged across Remus' eyes.  
  
"Why don't we talk about it?  
  
Why do you always doubt that there can be a better way?  
  
It doesn't make me want to stay, you know I can leave, leave you here in this mess!" Remus started softly but shouted the last of his words!  
  
A long silence descended on the pair.  
  
"Fine" Remus, broke the silence, always am he thought to himself. Remus turned to go, but then turned back, he had more to say.  
  
"Why don't we break up?  
  
There's nothing left to say  
  
I've got my eyes shut  
  
Praying they won't stray  
  
And we're not sexed up  
  
That's what makes the difference today  
  
I hope you blow away" Remus shouted, tears in his eyes, on the verge of falling onto his cheeks. Sirius looked up, his pale eyes burning an icy wind. His cheeks were wet. "You say we're fatally flawed  
  
Well I'm easily bored, is that ok?  
  
Write me off your list  
  
Make this the last kiss, I'll walk away" Remus whispered. His voice was soft with sorrow. Sirius got up and hit his fist up against the Gryffindor wall. He started kicking at what ever was in his reach. All the tension in his body took to the surface. His anger was uncontrollable. "Why don't we talk about it?  
  
Why do you always shout it  
  
given time we might forget  
  
Let's pretend we never met Why don't we break up?  
  
There's nothing left to say  
  
I've got my eyes shut  
  
Praying they won't stray  
  
And when I'm sexed up  
  
That's what makes the difference today  
  
I hope you blow away" Remus' passion exploded through his words." "Fuck off Remus! Fuck off!" Sirius shouted, kicking the table, which was up against the bay windows. "Screw you, I didn't like your taste  
  
Anyway, I chose you and that's all gone to waste  
  
It's Saturday, I'll go out  
  
And find another you" Remus stormed, leaving Sirius in silence in the wreck common room. As Remus slammed the portrait shut, and Sirius collapsed onto the floor, into tears.  
  
************************************ 


	2. Wearing a Trilby hat

"Merlin, Sirius is in a bad way isn't he Pete." James said gravely. "Yeah I know, I've never seen him like this." Peter replied.  
  
It was James and Peter who had found Sirius. They had put him into the dorm and told the others that he was just feeling a little ill. James didn't want nosy third years wondering where their house clown was.  
  
Remus hadn't been to the common room for three days now. James had tried to find him but he guessed he was in the Shrieking shack waiting for the full moon. It was tomorrow and Peter and James had decided to go down at about six later that day. Remus obviously didn't want to be disturbed.  
  
"A Christmas BALL!" Squealed a group of third year girls.  
  
"Yes, my treat, it'll happen on the 24th of December, so that everyone who is staying for Christmas can attend" Dumbledore announced. James was sure Dumbledore had winked at him. Remus was recovering in the hospital ward, he had been scarred quite badly this full moon, even with James and Peter. It was Sirius who normally calmed him.  
  
After the evening meal, James and Peter went back to the common room.  
  
"You know, I'm gonna go and tell Sirius about this ball, he likes dressing up. Maybe it might cheer him up." James suggested  
  
"Yeah, I think you should, I'm gonna make a start on this Charm homework."  
  
James made his way up to the boys' dormitory where they had last left Sirius. And sure enough, he was there, lying in his bed, with a trilby hat on, a Ravenclaw tie round his neck - which he had stolen with Remus - and the same pair of unwashed dirty jeans. Sirius was looking at the floor when James walked in.  
  
"Hey Sirius" James said in a singsong way.  
  
Sirius didn't move.  
  
"Just heard some news, Dumbledore's announced there's gonna be a Christmas ball on Christmas Eve. Cool huh?" James continued. Ignoring the fact that he was basically talking to himself.  
  
"Me, Peter and Remus, when he comes out of the ward, are gonna go into the Hogsmead to get some new gear, wanna come?" James asked, tentatively. Sirius wasn't one to mess with in a bad mood, let alone on the verge of a emotional breakdown.  
  
And to James' surprise Sirius did answer, after a couple of minutes.  
  
"Yeah, maybe" Sirius replied softly, his voice croaky.  
  
"Oh, that great!" James replied.  
  
Sirius looked up, and James saw a faint smile appear on the lips of his best friend.  
  
Remus was lying in his bed at the hospital ward. His body was frail and his long waist length half dreaded hair - that matched Sirius' mane - was tied back in an old elastic band. Normally, Sirius would be feeding him sugar quills; he could even hear his boyfriends voice in his head "you need to keep your sugar levels up!" Remus would chuckle, but it's hard to with a broken heart.  
  
The door swung open and in popped James and Peter. Remus had been hoping it was Sirius, but he knew it wasn't. How can you hate someone and love them at the same time? Remus thought to himself.  
  
"ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLRIGHT REMUS!" James and Peter called, it was kind of a catch phrase that the marauders had made themselves. Remus smiled.  
  
"Good news! Dumbledore's announced a ball for Christmas Eve!"  
  
"Oh, wow" Remus replied half-heartedly.  
  
"I know, its gonna be great!" Peter said, James and Peter spent the rest of the day with their invalid friend, joking, laughing, having fun, and dreaming up pranks. Remus forgot all about Sirius. 


	3. A Pearl Belt

Remus had been feeling a lot better since the full moon. Sure he was tired, but keeping busy stopped him thinking about the break up. He was even looking forward to the Christmas Eve ball. It was going to be a masked event and Remus was thinking of going as something "Christmassy". He'd seen a really cool white mask in Hogsmead, maybe an angel he thought to himself. Remus had even been talking to a good-looking Ravenclaw boy. "Wow things are looking up," Remus thought.  
  
"Sirius you have to come!" James pleaded.  
  
"I'm not coming!" Sirius replied for the 100th time.  
  
James had had enough. His stupid best friend was letting the best thing slip through his fingers because of his stupidity and selfishness. It had been nearly 10 days since Sirius had come out of the dorm. James even thought he was making progress but since Peter went and put his foot in it big time by mentioning Remus, Sirius had been even more dejected. And its all his own fault the stupid idiot, James thought to himself.  
  
"You know," James, said raising his voice, "If you got off your lazy butt and did something to stop the only person you've ever loved leaving you completely maybe you would be a happier person. But no, Sirius Black can't do that. He can't be the one to sort out his own wrongdoing. You know you really hurt him and yet, AND YET, you can't sort it out. I think you ought to know, REMUS HAS MOVED ON! He's gone and gotten himself at date for the masked ball and all you can do is lie here and feel sorry for yourself!!"  
  
James stormed out the dormitory, slamming the door behind him and leaving Sirius to contemplate his options.  
  
"Ha ha, I know!" Remus chuckled. It had been 2 weeks now, and Remus was pleased to say he hadn't thought about Sirius for at least a week. The ball was the next evening and Joshua, the smart Ravenclaw boy, and Remus had really bonded. They liked the same books, authors, music, they had the same ideas about things and Remus was glad to be having adult conversations about important things instead of "Whose going to win the quidditch world cup?" Remus had realised that Sirius knew nothing about him, when was his birthday, what his favourite book was, who he admired the most. Remus had never felt so released in all his life.  
  
"Your really beautiful Remus." Joshua said. Remus smiled.  
  
"You are too" The boys embraced. They weren't aware of a dark haired boy with glasses in the corner of the great hall was watching.  
  
James made his was solemnly back up to the common room. He had just seen Remus and his new guy in the hall. But he couldn't help feeling a pain in his heart. Remus looked so happy and yet he'd always imagined Sirius and Remus being together, forever. It was disappointing to see such a beautiful thing like that go to waste. James had to do something.  
  
Marching up the staircase he was going to get Sirius out of bed and win back his only love!  
  
But to James' surprise and disappointment the bed was empty.  
  
"Where the hell is he," James thought.  
  
And James didn't see him that evening either. Remus had come back to the common room now since the full moon and the 3 marauders played wizard chess and exploding snap. But James didn't like it. His best friend was out somewhere probably drowning or worse blocking his sorrows with drugs and alcohol.  
  
"Hey Remus, can I talk to you?"  
  
"Yeah sure James! You know you always can, so what is it this time is Lily still cursing you?" Remus said with a chuckle.  
  
"Where is Sirius?" James said firmly, Remus stopped smiling, Peter was silent.  
  
"I no idea, and actually I don't care!" Remus said. "You know what he did to me was awful and I don't care for him anymore!"  
  
There was a small pause.  
  
"That's why you cry at night?" Peter whispered.  
  
Christmas eve.  
  
No Sirius A Remus who thought he was fine - which he wasn't James knew!  
  
Perfect James thought.  
  
After breakfast James went to get his Nimbus, he thought he might make use of a clear Quidditch field. As he walked past Sirius' bed he saw something under the covers. He lifted them back and saw a pearl belt all rolled up in a bundle up at the top of the bed. It was really long.  
  
This puzzled James. Thinking quickly James leaped over to his trunk, throwing the contents everywhere, but to his astonishment he found his Invisibility cloak, neatly packed away.  
  
This troubled James. 


	4. A white Led Zeppelin Tshirt

"Peter! Remus! Get up here!" James called, from the dormitory.  
  
Remus and Peter looked at each other and then leaped from their chairs by the fire.  
  
Running into the Gryffindor boys' dormitory, they saw James by the window. The curtains were flapping like in some clichéd horror film. James was standing in front of the window beside Sirius' bed. Sirius had called it every year, saying he liked to look at the stars at night.  
  
"What's wrong James, I thought you'd broken your leg or something!?" Peter said.  
  
"Have you guys seen Sirius recently? Have you? I'm kind of worried?" James said anxiously. Remus looked at the floor, Peter being his oblivious self didn't notice.  
  
"Err.. Nope, now you mention it I haven't seen him for about two days" Peter said, "Well, where is he James? Where the hell is he?"  
  
"Maybe you should check the map." Remus said quietly.  
  
"Good plan, Remus!" James replied, laughing at his own stupidity.  
  
James and Peter dragged out the chest under James' bed. Remus got the key, from its hiding place. Finally the boys retrieved the map.  
  
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good!" the boys called, and marvelling at their creation the boys watched their school grounds unfold on the page.  
  
Scanning vigorously the boys couldn't find the wild-eyed boy.  
  
"This is crazy! Where the hell is he!" Peter wailed.  
  
"I think we should go to Dumbledore, I can't have disappeared, can he?" The last words made all the boys think. Sirius was an erratic character but had this really pushed him off the edge?  
  
"I don't want to go" Remus said abruptly, the others boys just stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"WHAT!" Peter and James said in unison. Sirius may not be Remus' boyfriend anymore, but he had been his friend for 4 solid years. Through thick and thin.  
  
"Well, someone needs to be here when, if he comes back." Remus replied.  
  
"Okay" James said slowly.  
  
"I've never known Remus to be so, so." James paused, what was happening to his friend.  
  
"Cold?" Peter replied. "Yeah, Cold, that's exactly what he's being, cold." James said as they were outside the headmasters' office.  
  
"Enter boys, I've been expecting you." Called the famous headmaster.  
  
"Sit, sit." Dumbledore gestured towards two chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"Sir, Sirius." James said unexpectedly.  
  
Dumbledore looked around himself, round the back of his chair, and behind the boys, even making Peter look behind himself with worry.  
  
"Where?" Dumbledore asked with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"No, I mean, we're about Sirius." James replied, "We haven't, well we haven't seen him for nearly 3 days. And well, we know this school is large but Sirius is one of our closest friends, people don't just disappear."  
  
"Ah, yes I was wondering about, well, if its any help, you, as a student are not allowed out of the front gate of this school without a few hexes being lifted." Dumbledore smiled. "I myself haven't seen him for a while, maybe he's planning his eve ball outfit?"  
  
The boys put on a smile. Dumbledore didn't know about the map, so he didn't know that Sirius has actually disappeared.  
  
"And talking of the ball, its nearly half past 6, you might want to get ready. Its starts at 8. I know boys are just as bad as girls when it comes to a mirror and some colourful costumes!" Dumbledore chuckled.  
  
Peter and James smiled and quickly left the office.  
  
Remus lay on the couch; his long hair neatly tied back, half up half down. He'd used a charm he had learnt to make it sparkle light silver. Professor Flitwick was mad about Christmas, and had even dedicated a lesson to Christmas charms at the end of the term.  
  
Remus had a pair of bleached jeans that hung low on his hips. He wore a white "Led Zeppelin" T-shirt with an angel on it. His make-up was highly extravagant with silver and white flicks and curls, scrolling around his face. His wings were white and feathery and fluttered ever so often. He looked like an angel, but inside, inside this angel was a devil. A devil, pulling at the strings in his pure heart. Making his silver nails tingle. Making the holy water from his eyes, balance on the edge of his lashes.  
  
"Compose yourself you stupid fool!" Remus thought to himself. And with that he pulled on an ornate and encrusted white tails jacket, his silver mask and made his way down to the great hall. James and Peter had already gone down; James as a prince, golden mask and all and Peter as an elf, unwisely.  
  
"Well, come on feet" Remus said to himself as he went down to meet Joshua. 


	5. A Top hat at a jaunty angle

Remus went down the great sweeping staircase meet Joshua, his date for the ball. AS he descended he felt a strange feeling of disappointment, seeing Joshua in a black tux and black mask. He had to stop himself from thinking "how boring". Putting on a smile Remus greeted his date.  
  
"You look really good," Joshua said. Linking arms they went into the great hall, Remus still smiling through his mouth, not his eyes.  
  
The hall looked amazing, as per usual. The long house tables had been pushed aside and there was seating around the edges of the hall. The walls were dark and glittery and the hall had a midnight winter theme throughout. Blue fires in lanterns were on the tables and real fairies were flying around the ceiling. The sky was dark with bright stars, luckily with no moon to be seen.  
  
James and Peter were already chatting to friends. But Remus couldn't help feeling like a traitor.  
  
Your presence still lingers here  
  
And it won't leave me alone  
  
These wounds won't seem to heal  
  
This pain is just too real  
  
There's just too much that time cannot erase  
  
"Do you want to dance, Remus?" Joshua asked.  
  
"Yeah, why not," The words slipped out so easily. And before Remus knew it, Joshua had whisked him onto the dance floor.  
  
Adding the final touches to his eye makeup Sirius gazed at himself in the looking glass. His long, long dark hair shimmered in the starlight, half up half down. His lips had a blue tinge, like he had lost a lot of blood. "I've lost a lot of me," he thought to himself. Sirius picked up his top hat from the ground; he brushed off the little bits of dirt and placed it askew on his head. His loose baggy black jeans hung off him; living in the forbidden forest for 4 days makes you appreciate school meals. He conjured a mirror charm from his wand and examined himself. Hair half up half down, a black t-shirt with a decorative motif, baggy black jeans, top hat at a jaunty angle and a tight tails jacket.  
  
"Looking good!" Sirius said to himself. Putting his black mask on he made his way out of the forest.  
  
"I'm feeling a bit tired, I'm going to go and sit down." Remus said, and left Joshua to dance with his Ravenclaw friends.  
  
Remus sauntered off and made his way to the balcony at the side of the hall. He needed some fresh air. Cleanse himself. Remus stared out into the night sky, looking at the stars.  
  
"Hey, I wondered where you had got to," Came a voice from the doorway. Remus turned round and was greeted with a smiling James.  
  
"Oh, hi James! Are you having a good time?"  
  
"Yeah, but your not"  
  
There was a short pause.  
  
"Maybe we should go back inside Remus, its getting cold." James suggested.  
  
"Yeah, I think so too"  
  
The two boys made their way back into the great hall. The ball was now in full swing and nearly everyone was dancing. Swinging their partners round and round.  
  
But suddenly the band stopped and a cold wind swept over the hall. The blue candles flickered and the students gasped. There was a loud roll of the thunder and the doors to the great hall swung open. Everybody's eyes turned to the door. And there, stood in the doorway, weight on one hip, a thin figure had appeared. The figure did a gracious bow and the music started once again, just as if nothing had happened.  
  
Remus gasped. The hall suddenly seemed so much busier; everybody was on the dance floor dancing to a fast jazzy number. The hall started spinning, James and Peter were nowhere to be seen and all Remus wanted to do was to get to the boy at the door. People were laughing, getting in his way, Remus had to fight to get through. When Remus finally made it to the door, the figure was no longer there. Looking round, he saw the top of the figures hat bobbing up and down over in the centre of the dance floor. Remus pushed his way through,  
  
"Hey Remus you wanna dance?" Joshua was in Remus' way, and Remus just pushed him aside. His wolf instinct was becoming more prominent. Hunting his prey.  
  
Finally, Remus made his way to the centre of the hall and found what he was looking for. The mystic figure. The figure glanced at him and made a gracious bow. The band struck up a slow song and the dark figure moved towards the angel. Lightly holding Remus by the waist, the figure lead the angel in a waltz and headed for the balcony.  
  
As they walked together the stars shone down on the couple. Remus turned to face the figure.  
  
"Hello" the figure said. Reaching in his pockets, he brought out a cigarette, lighting it with the tip of his wand and figure cupped the angels face. Taking a drag,  
  
"I'm sorry." And with the cigarette still in his mouth the angel and dark boy kissed.  
  
"GET THAT FAG OUT OF YOUR MOUTH RIGHT THIS INSTANCE!" Shouted Joshua, from the doorway, striding over to the couple.  
  
"Which one?" The figure answer with a smirk. Remus hit him lightly on the arm.  
  
"I AM A PREFECT!" Joshua said firmly.  
  
"Oh, lovely" And with that the angel and the dark boy kissed to the disgust of the Ravenclaw prefect.  
  
James and Peter looked out from the Gryffindor common room window out onto the balcony below. Sirius and Remus were still there, in a strong embrace. Remus still had his wigs on, but the boys had taken off their masks. Sirius was tracing lines onto Remus' face with his fingers, and Remus was doing the same back to Sirius. Sirius' hat was lying next to the pair.  
  
"You know, Sirius really does wear a strange array of clothing." Peter said, completely out of the blue. 


End file.
